Wrench



(No Model.) A. I

J. N. STEPHENS & S. PBUDHOMME. WRENCH.

No. 589,228. Patented Aug. 31,1897.

WITNESSES /N VENTUBS abmafze hezzs JWZZNZUZOMQ ATTORNEY.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

JOHN N. STEPHENS AND SAMUEL PRUDHOMME, or CRYSTAL FALLS, MICHIGAN.

. WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 589,228, dated August31, 1897. Application filed December 17, 1896. Seam... 616,100. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that we, JOHN N. STEPHENS and SAMUEL PRUDHOMME, residing atCrystal Falls, in the county of Iron and State of Michiganjhave inventeda new and Improved rench, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in that class of wrenches having asliding jaw; and it primarily has for its object to provide a wrench ofthis character of a simple and economical construction which can beeasily manipulated and which will eifectively serve for its intendedpurposes.

With other objects in view, which will hereinafter be referred to, ourinvention consists in the peculiar combination and novel arrangement ofparts, such as will be first described in detail and then bespecifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference be ing had tothe accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view ofour improved wrench. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of thesame. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4. is a detail view of the detachable lever.

Fig. 5 is a similar View of the detachable sliding jaw, and Fig. (3 is across-section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts in all thefigures, 1 indicates the fixed jaw, which has a shank 2. shank has avertical shank 3, extending its entire length, in which the pendentshank 4. of the sliding jaw 5 is held to slide and which is guided andheld from vertical movement by the shoulders 5, which engage the upperface of the shank 2, and the cross head 5 which engages the under faceof such shank, as clearly Shown in- Fig. 3.

The sliding jaw 5 has a centrally-apertured ear 6 on its rear face andrecesses 6 at each side of such ear to accommodate the bifurcated ends 7of the combined slide and lock lever 7 which is secured to the jaw 5 bythe pivot-bolt 7 and has its handle 7 extended the length of the Shank2, such handle 7 being held from closing down on the shank 2 by a rest8, which rest also has another function, the purpose of which willpresently ap- This pear. At a suitable point from the fixed jaw theshank 2 has a series of transverse lockteeth 2 with which lock-teeth 10on a pendent' member 7 of the lever 7 are adapted to engage, as clearlyshown in Fig. 2, in which figure the lever is shown in a depressed orlocked position.

In practice the shank of the sliding jaw is moved into the slot of theshank 2 from the rear end thereof, after which'the rear portion of suchslot is closed by a steel plate 13 of the same thickness as the Shank 2,which plate is held in place by the rivets 14, the rear end,however,being projected to form a screwdriver 15, as clearly shown.

The lever 7 is normally held in a locked engagement with the shanks 2 bymeans of a substantially U-shaped spring 12, which has a head portion l2projected laterally and has its shank ends fixedly connected to theshankhandle 2. The upper or head portion of the spring engages anelongated recess 7 which is made countersunk or withoutwardly-converging inclined side edges, so as to grip the head of thespring when the handle 2 and lever 7 are closed together, therebyholding the jaws from moving out of position unawares to the personusing the wrench when laying it down and picking it up again. It isobvious that the elongation. of the recess 7 Q will admit of the readylongitudinal adjustment of the jaw and lever 7.

In operation the sliding jaw is moved toward the fixed jaw the requireddistance, after which the lever-handle is closed toward the Shank 2, soits teeth will engage the teeth 2*, whereby to hold the jaws to alockedposition.

By providing the handle 7 with a rest 8 it will be impossible to closesuch handle down so tight as to compress or break the spring 12.

From the foregoing description, taken .in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it is thought the advantages of our inventionwill readily appear. The same comprises practically but three parts,easily adjusted and combined to produce a very strong and effectivewrench. The sliding jaw can be quickly set in position by manipulatingthe leverand when set can be securely held to its gripping position bypressing on the said lever and engaging the spring-catch with thelengitudinal recess.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. A wrench, comprising a shank, a fixed jaw at one end thereof, asliding jaw mounted on the shank, a locking-lever pivoted to the slidingjaw and provided with a longitudinal recess having outwardly convergingside walls, and a substantially U-shaped spring mounted on the shank andengaging said recess, substantially as described.

2. A wrench comprising a shank, a fixed jaw at one end thereof, asliding jaw mounted on the shank, a locking-lever pivoted to the slidingjaw provided with a recess having outwardly-converging side walls, aspring held on the shank, having a head portion adapted to engage withthe said recess of the lockinglever, said locking-lever having aprojecting rest 8, adapted to engage the shank and limit the closingmovement of the lever, substaniially as shown and for the purposesdescribed.

3. A wrench, comprising a longitudinallyslotted shank, a fixed jaw atone end of the shank, a sliding jaw mounted in the slot of the shank, aplate secured in the slot of the shank and retaining the sliding jawtherein, and a locking-lever pivoted to the sliding jaw, interlockingwith the shank and provided with the rest 8 engaging the shank andlimiting the closing of the'locking-lever, substantially as described. 4

4:. The combination with the fixed jaw,having a slotted shank, and thesliding jaw havin g a shank held to slide in the slotted shank, andhaving lateral shoulders and a cross-head to engage the upper and lowerfaces, respectively, of such fixed shank, said fixed shank havingtransverse lock-notches, of the lever 7 pivotally connected at its frontend to the sliding jaw,and having at such end lock-teeth to engage thenotches of the fixed shank, said lever having a pendent rest member 8and means for holding the lever normally in a locked engagement with thefixed shank, as specified.

JOHN N. STEPHENS. SAM. PRUDHOMME.

lVitnesses:

JOHN E. MoGILLIs, J. F. CORCORAN.

